NEW YORK — ​Department of Sanitation Edward Grayson announced plans to retire Thursday after working with the agency for more than two decades.

Mayor Eric Adams praised Grayson as someone who worked "tirelessly" for New Yorkers.

"We owe him a debit of gratitude and wish him nothing but the best as he retires," Adams said in a statement. 

Department of Sanitation officials said Grayson will continue to serve at the department until Adams appoints a replacement.

The announcement comes as the mayor proposed cutting the city sanitation budget by $47.8 million. 

Grayson had expressed concern about service cuts, such as neighborhood litter basket pickups. ​Prior to the pandemic, the city had more than 700 basket truck pickups a week. This year, there are 588 basket trucks operating, with 136 of those trucks funded through a one-time funding initiative last year.​

“There is a planned reduction in service and that's something that we need to talk about,” Grayson said in March.

According to the sanitation department, Grayson has been working with the agency since 1999.